Commencement
came and went without a lot of fanfare. I had only spent my senior year at Ben
Franklin High so I didn't feel like I was leaving a lot of friends or memories
behind. The high point was CK's valedictorian speech. No one was surprised that
he was selected for the honor except him. He was so nervous before the event he
couldn't stop shaking. Patrice, Lorna, and I did our best to keep him occupied
but every so often, he would get that far away look then start trembling again.
We were proud of him and proud to be his friends but nothing we did seemed to
ease his anxiety.

Lorna
said, "You look so handsome in your cap and gown," then kissed him on the
cheek.

He
started blushing big time, which made him look that much cuter. Patrice added
to his discomfort by giving him a hug, though her intentions were nothing short
of sincere. She stood a little taller than he, which made me notice that he
wasn't so short anymore. In fact, it looked like he might turn out to be on the
tall side after all. Time would tell on that account.

When
Mom asked, I said I didn't want a graduation party but she insisted. She said I
would only graduate high school once and she wasn't going to let it pass
without observing the occasion. It was important to her so I reluctantly agreed
as long as it was held to family and a few close friends, nothing major. I
didn't think I did anything special that millions of other seniors didn't do
and felt undeserving of the recognition.

When
Theo got word of it, he called Bill and Mom offering to host the occasion at
his and Mattie's house. Mom and Bill liked the idea because their backyard,
with the pool and outdoor kitchen, made for the perfect venue. It turned out to
be a fun affair, too. The attendees made for a good size crowd, which surprised
the hell out of me. When I stopped to think about it, Mom and I had more
friends and acquaintances in Louisiana than we did back home; well, in
Wisconsin anyway. It's true that it wasn't an easy transition but Louisiana was
home and we were both pleased with the way things worked out.

We
sent Charlie, my old boss, and his partner an invitation back in Plaquemines
but they declined saying they both had to work. They sent a check with the RSVP
card.I was grateful and told them so when I
wrote them a thank you note saying it wasn't necessary yet very much appreciated.
I said I would try to drop in on them sometime soon before school started in
the fall.

Mark
came with his mother and stepfather, Frank. Aside from the obvious guest list,
I invited Rob, my friend from work, and his boyfriend Colin, the "Awesome
Aussie" as Rob referred to him. Rob came alone because Colin had to work so we
still didn't get to meet him.

They
had moved in together over the summer and, according to Rob, were enjoying
every minute of it. There was CK, Lorna, Patrice, and Dave. Dave didn't bring Greg
and I, for one, was relieved. Patrice had her eye on Dave from the onset. She
wouldn't leave him alone either, which was amusing to watch. Patrice was on the
hunt while Dave played it cool. The harder she tried, the more indifferent Dave
appeared and that frustrated her.

I
wasn't sure what Dave had in mind so I waited for the right opportunity to ask
him. The last thing I wanted to see was Patrice getting hurt. We had grown to
be good friends, our little group, and I felt obliged to look out for her
knowing Dave's track record in romance. When Dave made his way to the bathroom,
I followed him.

"Nice
party," he said as we entered the cabana.

"Thanks.
Ah Dave, what are you going to do about Patrice?"

"Nothing, why?"

We
were standing side by side at the urinals when he leaned over and checked me
out while I was peeing. "Do you mind?" I asked him.

"No,"
he said then started giggling. "If things don't work out with Mark, you can
always call me you know."

"Yeah,
right," I said. "So how are you going to handle Patrice?"

"I'm
not going to do anything. This is only the second time I've seen her. If she
wants to flirt then let her flirt. I kind of like it. If she were you, it would
be a different story," he said then leaned over and kissed me.

I
put myself back together, flushed the urinal then walked over to the vanity. "What
about Greg? Don't you feel anything for him?"

"Greg
says he's bi. He has a girlfriend and I'm sure he's having sex with her. He
doesn't want to be seen with me around school either. He says everyone will
think he's gay. It's ridiculous because no one knows about me. Besides, the
whole thing makes me feel like his dirty little whore. I'm over it and him.
Val, I made a big mistake and want another chance with you. Do you think we could
try again?"

"That's
not likely to happen," I said. "I'm with Mark now and I love him. I wouldn't do
anything to ruin that. We're going to be living together in the guesthouse when
school starts."

"He's
a lucky guy," he said then stepped behind me placing his arms around my waist.
"I still care for you," he said then he kissed my neck.

"Please
don't do that," I said wriggling free. "You know I'm with Mark and, as far as
I'm concerned, that's the way it'll always be. What you did with Greg really hurt.
I don't think I'll ever forget that, at least not in this life."

We
talked for a few more minutes then I suggested we join the party. I was sure
our absence hadn't gone unnoticed by Mark. I was uncomfortable after Dave's
advances and didn't want to give Mark any reason to doubt me. After all, he was
aware of our history. I had everything I could hope for and then some. My sole
intention was to be with Mark. The more I thought about it, the stronger my
conviction became. Our relationship was the best thing that ever happened to me
and I wasn't about to place that in jeopardy.

When
we returned to the party, Mattie had designated a table for presents, which
made me uncomfortable because the gifts formed an impressive cache. When the
time came, I opened them one by one. I decided to do the cards first in case
there was money inside. When I opened Mike and Steve's card there was a check
for a few thousand dollars. Steve said that was the room and board money I had
paid to date. He said they put it in a separate account and planned to give it
back eventually and graduation seemed like the perfect occasion. Mike made it
clear that we had to pay rent on the guesthouse and suggested I bank the funds
because that money would not be returned. That was no big surprise coming from
Mr. In-Charge.

"Thanks
you guys. You're probably going to get it all back anyway," I said.

"What?"
I said looking at him in disbelief. "You can't be serious, Mike. That's a small
fortune! There's no way that place is worth a grand a month, five hundred tops.
I want my money back. You're hallucinating!"

Steve
started giggling so I said, "What's so funny, Steve? That big lug nut next to
you is losing it. He's crazy if he thinks we're paying that much. Hell, we can
probably buy a house for that."

"Fine,"
I said. "I hope Steve talks some sense into you before we do."

I
looked at Theo who was standing next to Mike. He was grinning so I had to smile
back. I raised my eyebrows looking up and shook my head then went about opening
gifts. Man, something in the Harris gene pool was definitely deficient.

Mom
and Bill gave me an IPod and a promise. Their card said they would pay all
expenses at Tulane until I graduated. Bill said I still had to pay my own room
and board as well as earn my spending money, which drew a scowl from Mom. I had
to laugh at that, though I didn't see it as a problem. Theo and Mattie gave me
a gift certificate for the student bookstore on campus. I thought it was nice
and practical and told them so when I thanked them.

After
I finished opening gifts and thanking everyone, the group broke up and went
about eating and socializing with one another. I was talking with Mark when
Patrice approached us.

"Hey,
guys," she said. "Come over here for a minute, away from the crowd."

We
followed her toward CK and Lorna. When we reached them, CK held a gift up then
said, "This is for both of you from the three of us." Then he extended his hand
with the gift.

I
nodded at it saying to Mark, "You open it."

He
accepted the package then began tearing the wrapping paper off and handing it
to me. When he finished, he gazed at it for a moment then smiled and held it up
for me to see. It was a picture of the two of us on the deck at the yacht club
when Patrice surprised us with her camera. It came out well. We were holding
each other and looking directly at the camera. The frame they chose was
perfect, it couldn't have been more fitting. I thought it would look good inthe guesthouse on the dresser or maybe in the den
on the bookshelves. The most important thing
was that it be in plain sight for all to see!

I
turned my attention away from the picture to thank them. The three of them were
smiling with their approval. "Thanks, you guys," I said. "I really like it."

"Me
too," Mark said. "I like it a lot. It's the first gift we've been given."

"You're
welcome," Patrice said. "We hoped you would like it."

"What
is it?" Dave asked approaching with Rob.

Mark
held it up for him to see. Dave took it from Mark then studied it for a moment
saying, "Very nice. You make an attractive couple," he said thoughtfully.

"So
you don't have a problem with it?" Patrice asked.

"Of
course not, I'm happy for them and maybe a little jealous." Then he smiled at
Patrice who had a bewildered look on her face.

Mark
was staring at Dave contemplating what he said. Everyone was standing around
unsure of what to say so I spoke up, "Anyone care to go swimming?"

They
all responded positively so we went to our cars to retrieve our bathing suits.
Patrice and Lorna were the only girls so they went to the women's side of the
cabana while the rest of us piled into the men's side.

"Val
and I can change in this stall," Mark said. "You three can use the other one."

"No
way," CK said. "I'm not going in there with those two."

"Oh
yeah you are," Rob said. "C'mon Dave, help me get him in there."

Rob
grasped CK by the shoulders from behind then began steering him toward the
stall. CK rolled off to the side and said, "Oh, no you don't. I'll wait for you
guys to finish."

Dave
and Rob started laughing then Rob pushed Dave in the stall and closed the door.
They started making grunts and groans saying short phrases like, "Oh yeah, right
there," and "Harder," then they started laughing.

I
stood on the bench to peek over the partition. CK was tapping the back of his
head lightly against the wall and said, "Man, I need some new friends."

"Ouch,"
I said loudly then turned around to look at Mark. He bit me on the ass and was
beaming a big ole `Mark-smile' with the corners of his mouth curling up. I
stepped off the bench and stroked his crotch a couple times then kissed him. It
felt really good. We leered into each other's eyes for a moment. Then we both
started getting hard so we quickly pulled our swimsuits on and hung our clothes
up.

At
the pool, I asked Mark to do a jackknife for the group, which he executed with
precision. Then Patrice persuaded him to do a few more dives including a couple
with flips and twists before entering the water. They weren't perfect but
pretty darn good for someone out of practice with no formal training. I was
proud of him.

After
that, we erected a net stretching it across the pool, chose teams then played
volleyball in the water. It was a blast and a half. There was a lot of dunking
and laughing going on, too. At one point, Patrice jumped on Dave's back
wrapping her arms around him taking him under. They didn't come up right away
and it was hard to tell what happened before they did.I wondered how long Dave
would tolerate her coming on to him before he told her he was gay.

The
rest of the afternoon and early evening went that way. Everyone seemed to enjoy
themselves, adults and parents included. After some time, the sun grew long in the
sky and the temperature cooled off when Mark's mother and Mattie began to clear
and clean the kitchen on the deck. Everyone took that as a sign to wrap things
up. Spending the afternoon in the sun and water was tiring as well. Eventually,
everyone pitched in to some extent and the deck was neat and
clean in no time.

When
it seemed right, I approached Mattie while she was bent over wiping a table and
said, "Thanks so much for everything." Then I gave her a pat on the back, "I
feel guilty about all these people invading your house. I'm sure you put a lot
of time and effort into this, the expense and aggravation aside, thank you very
much."

"Nonsense,"
she said. "It was nothing. Mike tells us you're the son he and Steve never
had." Then she straightened up. She was a tall woman and always well dressed.
She carried herself rather stately and staid, too. She looked at me and smiled,
"Mike says you're giving him gray hair," then she chuckled.

"Yeah
well, if that's true then he's gonna have a coronary
when we discuss rent on the guesthouse." We both had to grin at that. It may
have been a humorous moment but I was steeling myself for the showdown that was
sure to come.

Mom
walked up and put her arm around me. "Thank you for everything, Mattie. We
appreciate it don't we, Honey?" then she kissed the side of my head.

"Yes
we do. Like I said, very much."

"It's
nothing, Dear," she said to Mom. "We're glad it worked
out. We think highly of your son."

Steve
leaned over and kissed Mattie on the cheek. "Thanks for everything," he said.

"Don't
forget the care package I made for you."

"Got
it," Mike said raising it for her to see. Then they headed toward the gate.

Mark
was standing by the gate, saying goodbye to Theo with the others so I pulled
Mom by the arm saying, "Let's go thank Theo. He's over there talking to Mark
and the rest of the gang. Thanks again, Mattie."

I
put my arms around her saying, "Thanks, Mattie. Mom and I owe you big time."
Then I kissed her cheek.

"We
were more than happy to host your graduation. We're proud of you," she said
holding me close. "You owe us nothing. You're a fine young man and Mike and
Steve think highly of you as do we. Steve thinks you have a natural aptitude
for architecture. I hope he's right."

Then
we parted, me contemplating Mattie's comment while Mattie and Mom embraced. It
was easy to see where the foundation of Mike's family lay. Mattie wasn't
colorful in the sense that Theo was, not at all. She was quiet and reserved for
the most part, content to let Theo occupy center stage. And Theo never strayed
far from her, always taking a seat next to her or embracing her when they were
close. Theo may have been a managing partner at Mike's law firm but it was
evident who ran the show at home.

"Thanks again, Mattie," Mom said.

"You're
most welcome, Dear." Then she smiled at Mom and patted
her shoulder. "We're keeping an eye on your son, our adopted grandson."

Theo
was chatting with our friends as Mom and I approached. He had one arm around
Lorna and the other around Patrice while CK stood looking on with Dave, Rob and
Mark.

"Hey,
Theo," I said as we neared, "How do you always manage to get the best looking
babes?"

He
smiled, gave them both a squeeze then said, "I don't know, Son. It's been that
way all my life and I'm not complaining."

"Yeah,
right," I said as I raised my eyebrows and looked skyward.

We
all thanked Theo, said goodbye to each other, then
went to our cars. Half way down the driveway, Mom pulled me to a stop. Bill was
on the other side of her with his arm around her, looking intently at Mom.

"Honey,"
she said. "I'm so proud of you, I can't tell you how much." I was looking her
in the eye as she took both my hands in hers. "Come here," she said then
wrapped her arms around my neck. She kissed my forehead then held her cheek
next to mine. I put my arms around her waist wanting nothing more than to
assure my mother.

"You're
so grown up and independent," she said. "You're able to look after and support
yourself. When did I lose my little boy? I love you so," she whispered then
tightened her grasp.

"I
love you too, Mom." I squeezed her firmly with my eyes closed. We held each
other for a few moments then she eased her hold so I did, too.

I
drew back to see tears in her eyes. "What's wrong, Mom?" I asked.

I
knew what it was though. Mom was having a parental moment. It was the kind
when a mother realizes that her kid isn't a kid anymore. That her kid has
grown into a young adult and no longer dependent to the extent that maybe the
parent would like. It's that place in time when a mother understands that
she has to let her kid go ... let her young fledgling leave the nest, hoping
she'd equipped that child with the necessary tools to cope, to succeed. It
was that kind of moment.

I
sensed it, too. I kissed her one more time then said, "C'mon, let's get out of
here before I start crying, too."

Bill
handed her a handkerchief then she wiped the tears from her eyes and blew her
nose. He put his arm around Mom then escorted her to his car. I watched them as
I veered toward Mike's car. Mom had her arm around Bill's waist with her head
resting on his shoulder. She appeared resigned and a little sad from where I
stood. Before I got in, I looked at Bill's SUV. Mom waved through the
windshield so I waved back then got in the car.

"Everything copacetic?"
Mike asked firing up the engine.

"Yeah,"
I said. "Mom had a motherly moment overcome her. She pulled through like a
champ."

"And
you?"

"Are
you calling me a mother, Mike?"

Steve
chuckled and so did Mike. With that, I successfully evaded further questioning.
On the way home, I was sitting in the backseat behind Steve looking out the
window and thinking about the day. I was so glad Mom insisted we have the
party. I didn't think I was worthy at first but it turned out to be a good time
and I wasn't embarrassed once. Then I thought about the gifts. There was an
impressive stash there, too, not to mention the money. I wasn't sure if
everything would fit in my car when I went back to claim my booty.

At
home in the kitchen, Steve and I sat at the table while Mike put a few things
in the fridge that his mother sent home with us. I thanked them again for their
generosity then I asked, "Can I at least pay the utility bills since I've been
here?"

"No
way," Steve said. "We always knew we would return the money and graduation
seemed like the perfect occasion. You've more than paid your way by keeping up
with your household duties."

"That's
right," Mike affirmed. "You're going to need those funds come September." Then
he said, "Hey, Sport," as he approached the table. He put his hand on my shoulder
and asked me to stand so I did. He embraced me in his strong arms. "I haven't
had a chance to congratulate you," he said massaging my back and clutching my
head to his chest. "You've done well. We're real proud of you, Val. I don't
know many kids your age that could weather what you have then accomplish what
you did. You're a pretty special young man."

I
put my arms around him and said, "Thanks, Mike. I really do appreciate you guys
and everything you've done for me." My eyes were getting watery after hearing
Mike say they were proud of me. I was so darn proud of them, loved them too,
though I couldn't bring myself to say it for fear of losing it.

"Appreciate?"
Mike asked as he relaxed his hold. He drew his head back to look at me saying,
"That's it? You appreciate us? After all we've been through? I thought you
would feel something more. I know Steve and I do."

"Of
course I do, Mike," I said pressing my cheek to his chest and tightening my
hold on him. I was completely aware of what he was asking and way too close to
bawling to say anything further.

"That's
better," he said. "Where's the present we have for him?" Mike asked Steve.

"In
the library," Steve said then left the room.

He
returned with a gift in his hand. "Here," he said. "It's from Mike and me. We
hope you like it."

I
let Mike go, accepted their gift, and then began pulling the wrapping paper off
deliberately placing it on the countertop. It was a framed picture of Mike,
Steve and me on their boat. It was a picture Mark took on our trip back to
Plaquemines when Mark and I stayed with Mom. It was retouched or redone
digitally to look perfect. We were all three shirtless with our arms around
each other smiling. Mike had his captain's hat on while Steve's hair and mine
blew in the wind. In the bottom right hand corner it was signed, "We love you,
Mike and Steve."

Mike
said, "Remember Val, regardless of where your career and life takes you, you'll
always have a place to call home and a special place in our hearts. We love
you."

That
did it. I couldn't contain myself any longer and the waterworks began. I was
leaking tears all over the place and embarrassed to the max. I set the picture
on the counter and wiped my eyes with the back of my wrist. My nose was stuffy
and I couldn't see or breathe because I was congested so I went to the sink to
get a paper towel. I blew my nose and dried my eyes standing with my back to
them. Steve came from behind and gave me a quick hug. "Are you okay?" he asked.

All
I could do was nod my head slowly. A million dollars
wouldn't have affected me more than that picture. And to hear how they felt,
well, it was definitely too much. I was
so overcome with emotion and embarrassed, too. There I was crying like a little
kid and going to University in a few weeks. I felt so stupid and completely
powerless to do anything about it.

"Come
here," Steve said. He put one arm around my shoulders then the other around my
waist. I rested my head against his when a couple of low sobs escaped me. "It's
okay," he said. "Let it go. Take all the
time you need." I trembled slightly as I struggled to control myself. I shook
some more then sniffed nuzzling my head in the crook of his neck.

After
more shaking and comforting, I raised the paper towel to my nose and blew again
then I dried my blurry eyes. I had to stand quietly for a few moments while I
calmed down. The impact of Mike's disclosure was moving to say the least. It
overwhelmed me like nothing he had ever said. And coming from Mike, well, it
was more than I could manage and maintain my composure. All I could do was
stand in Steve's arms and wait it out.

"You
okay?" Steve asked after a while.

I
nodded, cleared my throat then managed a froggy,
"Yeah, I'm fine." Then I laughed a nervous laugh trying to convince myself.

I
finally felt as though I could look them in the eye so I withdrew from Steve's
embrace and got another paper towel. The one I had was saturated. I blew my nose
then cleared my throat. "I have something I want to say," then I paused. "I
want to tell you both something."

I
cleared my throat again then said, "You guys mean a lot to me. I don't know
what would have happened if I hadn't stayed here with you. Someday I'm going to
make it up to you."

Steve
said, "If you make the Dean's list, that'll be enough for us. We want the best
for you but you still have to do it yourself. We're here to help if you need
it, okay?"

"Yeah,
thanks, Steve."

"Hey,
Sport," Mike said. "We have one last thing for you."

I
cleared my throat once more and dried my eyes then said, "Mike, it better be
funny because I don't feel like crying anymore."

"You're
going to like it," Steve said. "I promise." Then he pulled a card from his back
pocket and handed it to me.

"You
guys have already done enough. I feel funny taking this."

"Open
it," Mike said.

I
opened the envelope to find a card inside. When I removed it from the envelope
and flipped it open, a piece of paper fell to the floor. I picked it up and
read it. It was a one-year membership to a gym and a few hours with a personal
trainer. I looked at them and said, "Thanks a lot. Do you think I need this?"

Mike
squeezed my bicep and said, "It won't hurt you, that's
for sure. You're at the perfect age to start working out and you need aerobic
exercise as well to stay fit. If you get into a regimen now and stay with it,
you'll have a much healthier and happier life. I renewed my membership at the
same gym. I need it, too. I'm starting to get soft."

"I
was going to say something," I said.

He
made a start at me as if he were coming after me, which made me leap back. Then
he stopped in place after his initial lurch. It was evident he was kidding
around so we all started laughing.

Mike
and Steve decided to watch television before going to bed. I chose to go to my
room and call Mark, like I said I would, before retiring. Mark wanted to know
if I would find out when we could start moving into the guesthouse. I said we
should approach them about rent first so we knew what to expect. We both agreed
it was a good idea so we decided to corner Mike and Steve the first chance we
had. He said he was coming over in the morning to help me bring my stuff home
from Mattie and Theo's then we said good night and hung up.

The
next morning I was up earlier than usual. I had gone to bed around nine the
night before so I was wide-awake by five in the morning. It was so early the
sun hadn't begun to rise.

I
took my book downstairs to the kitchen to start the coffee and read for a while.
It was strange making my way to the kitchen that morning with barely enough
light to see. It was like going to bed late except I was getting up, it seemed
like the middle of the night. I turned the lamp in the kitchen on. The lamp was
much softer than the recessed fixtures overhead. I laid the book I was reading
on the table. It was the second installment of the "Jason Bourne" series by
Ludlum. I was determined to finish the series before school started.

It
seemed like no time at all when I heard the toilet flush upstairs. I looked at
the clock on the built-in oven. It was seven. I took two cups from the cabinet
and placed them on the counter, one with milk in it for Steve then I sat down
to wait. It was Sunday so I was the only one that had to work that day.

"Morning,
Sport," Steve said entering the kitchen.

"Morning,
Steve.

He
filled their cups with coffee then began to make his way toward the stairs.

"Steve?"

"Yeah?"

"Can
I talk to you for a minute?"

"What's
up, Sport?" he said setting the coffees on the table before he sat down.

"Well,
it's like this. Mark and I want to discuss rent before we start moving into the
guesthouse. Do you think we could sit down and talk about it?"

"Sure.
Why do you ask? There's no problem with us. We already agreed to it."

"There's
the issue of rent, Steve. Mike says you guys want a thousand per month."

Steve
laughed then rose, "We'll talk," he said. Then he took the coffees and headed
for the stairs.

`Well
shit,' I thought to myself, `That didn't clear
anything up.' Sometimes you have to wonder about adults, the way they purposely
evade issues as if they weren't important. Then they try to make it seem like
it's an okay thing to do and you're not supposed to question it. How fair is
that? God help me if I ever tried it!

I
went upstairs to start my morning routine. When I finished in the bathroom and
straightened my room, I called Mark. He didn't answer so I left him a message
asking when he was coming over. I said I would pick him up if he wanted since
his house was on the way to Mattie and Theo's. I stuffed my phone in my pocket
then threw my dirty laundry on the floor in the hallway.

I
was going to knock on Mike and Steve's door to get their laundry. I paused
outside when I heard sounds coming from their room. I stood motionless by the
door listening. There were grunts and groans inside, the kind two guys make
when they're having sex. One of them was grunting in perfect syncopation to the
slapping sound of two bodies meeting with moderate force. The guttural sounds
were Steve's, I could tell by the voice inflection.

I
started stroking myself imagining how they looked having sex. I started to get
hard so I went to the bathroom and locked the door. I pulled my shorts and
underwear down then reclined on the floor. I started stroking myself imaging
the two of them screwing. Then I pictured Mark on top of me pounding away and
grew rock hard. I opened the vanity drawer and withdrew a bottle of lotion. I
lubed my finger then started rubbing it against my hole and stroking myself
with the other hand. It wasn't nearly as good as the real thing.

I
pulled the shower curtain out of the way, spread my legs then began fingering
myself as I stroked my hard dick. It felt great so I spread my legs wider for
better penetration. I was close to cumming as I
worked my finger and my erection vigorously, all the while, wishing it were
Mark.

Out
of nowhere, there was a loud pounding on the door startling the daylights out
of me. I flinched banging my knee and elbow on the vanity door. I didn't have
to think twice about stopping, it was a cognitive response. I lay motionless on
the floor listening.

"Sport, you in there?"
It was Mike.

"No!
Go away."

"What's
going on in there?"

"I'm
on a bombing mission. What do you think?"

He
started laughing, which was a good thing. It bought me some time. All of a
sudden, my finger was beginning to feel like a telephone pole so I eased it out
and sat up then crawled over to the toilet and sat on it.

It
was quiet on the other side of the door when Mike said, "It didn't sound like
that. It sounded more like hand to hand combat."

Man,
the move to the guesthouse couldn't come soon enough. Things were getting a
little out of hand lately. I was losing my edge ... and my wits.

"Beat
it, Mike."

He
chuckled again then said, "At least you practice what you preach."

I
could hear him laughing as he descended the stairs. It wasn't good. The
transition to the guesthouse was definitely moving to the front burner, for
Christ sake. Besides, I wouldn't have to fanaticize anymore; I would have
exactly what I needed, what I wanted, and all that mattered. Mark and I would
be living together! I resolved to do anything I could to hasten the process.

I
gathered their laundry and mine then went downstairs. As I passed through the
kitchen, Mike gave me a look that said he knew. I pursed my mouth then looked
straight ahead on my way to the laundry room. I wasn't going to acknowledge I
knew, that he knew, something was afoot in the bathroom. We were out of laundry
detergent so I left the dirty clothes on the floor.

I
had to pass through the kitchen again on my way upstairs. Mike and Steve were
sitting at the table talking and drinking coffee. "We're out of laundry soap,"
I said in passing.

"It
wouldn't kill you to buy some once in a while," Mike said.

"Nor
you," I replied. Then I kept going.

I
felt particularly good about my response since Mr. Know-It-All had no idea what
a grocery store looked like on the inside. Well, that was an exaggeration but
the point was well taken. Anything he could get someone else to do was a feather
in his cap as far as he was concerned.

No
wonder he needed to renew his gym membership. Maybe he should try cutting the
grass, edging the walks, and a few other things around the house and yard. A
little physical exercise goes a long way in burning calories and maintaining
fitness. There was a sense of pride to be had as well, but he wouldn't have a
clue about that.

I
picked Mark up on the way to Theo and Mattie's house. I waited until noon to
leave so they would be sure to be home from church. We climbed the stairs to
their front porch then rang the bell. Mattie answered the door. She opened it
then invited us inside.

"It's
nice to see you boys again so soon," she said.

"And
you, too," Mark replied as she held the door for us.

"How
are you, Mattie?" I asked.

"I'll
be much better after I get a hug."

"Oh,
okay," I said so I gave her a squeeze then patted her back during the process.

She
held her arms open to Mark so he hugged her then she led us to the kitchen.
When we entered, Theo was sitting at the table drinking coffee and reading the
paper.

"Hey,
Theo," Mark said. "What do you know?"

He
lowered the paper then smiled saying, "I know trouble when I see it. What are
you two up to?"

"No
good," I said. "Why? Who wants to know?"

He
chuckled then said, "Mattie and I were going to have lunch. Are you guys hungry?"

"Oh
yeah," Mark replied. Then he took a seat opposite Theo so I sat down next to my
dude.

After
hearing that, I couldn't help thinking about Mom and the work she did back in
Wisconsin. Her employers used to call her the cleaning lady, too. It sounded so
demeaning to hear that term and think of Mom that way, yet I couldn't dismiss
the reality of the way things were. I never thought of our plight as desperate
but after hearing and digesting Mattie's words, well it made me think about and
appreciate the way things turned out. The thought of Mom doing housework, so we
could make ends meet, was a sobering reminder of the way things were.

After
lunch, we thanked them, collected the gifts from the party then headed for
home. When we got there, we piled them in the corner of my bedroom. Mike and
Steve were in the spa so we decided to join them. I lent Mark one of Steve's
bathing suits since they were almost the same size. We wanted to discuss rent
for the guesthouse. With any luck, we were hoping to resolve the issue and put
it to bed.

I
exhaled trying to act put out then turned to go back to the house. In a low
voice so he could hear, I said, "I usually get paid to wait on people." I could
hear Mike chuckle as I made my way to the house.

I
came back with Master Mike's order and set it down between him and Steve.
"Thanks," he said.

"You're
welcome," I said trying hard to be sincere. Then I took a seat in the spa next
to Mark.

We
were sitting opposite them when Steve said, "Okay, what's up guys?"

I
looked at Mark before saying anything then looked away. Before I could speak,
Mark said, "We'd like to discuss rent on the guesthouse. If we can't arrive at
a consensus, then we'll go to plan B and look elsewhere."

He
sounded so self-assured it was a little out of character for him. He never came
across like that. I couldn't help thinking how much he sounded like Mike. It
was strange, yet I couldn't have phrased it better had I given it forethought.

"Back
`er down," Mike said. "Sport there, isn't going
anywhere without permission." Mike emphasized `without' to make his point.
"Just so you know, Steve and I are still responsible
for him and his actions whether he remains in his room or moves into the
guesthouse. He's staying here one way or the other. This is his home and he's
not leaving yet. If you'd like to stay in the guesthouse with him, then we can
discuss it."

I
looked at Mark with a smile on my face. That was the first time he ever
encountered Mike's iron will. There was no way anyone was going to tell Mike
how things were going to be unless their names were Steve or Theo. For my own
purposes, I always took the pleading approach, which seemed to yield a more
favorable outcome.

"Mike,"
I said. "I guess the biggest question we have is the rent. Neither
one of us makes a lot of money and we're going to have other expenses,
too."

"Your
mother pays all your car expenses except gas," Mike said. "Let's get to the
point. What do you guys think is reasonable?"

Mark
said, "We think five hundred per month and we pay the utilities is fair."

Mike
looked at Steve for his reaction. Steve looked away and said, "We think six
hundred a month and you guys pay the utilities is more than fair. You can't
rent a two-bedroom apartment for that and the guesthouse is much nicer than an
apartment and it's furnished. There's nothing to buy."

I
was tempted to ask about covered parking for my little car but didn't think
Mike was in the mood to hear it. So I looked at Mark and shrugged my shoulders
as if to say it was okay with me. He turned his attention to Steve and said, "I
guess that's okay with us. When can we start moving in?"

"The
sooner you move in, the sooner you begin paying rent," Mike said. "What about
your mother? Is she okay with all this?"

"Yeah.
She said as long as I was staying in the guesthouse, she would go along with
it. She won't allow me to live on my own. She likes the fact that you guys will
be close."

Steve
chuckled then said, "Mike, I don't know if we're losing a son or gaining one.
Either way, it sounds like we have a deal."

"We
do," Mark said then extended his hand to Steve. We all shook hands with one
another to affirm our consent.

With
that out of the way, I said, "Mike, you know you're gonna
have to knock when you want to come in."

"Fine,"
he said. "That goes both ways then. When you take the key to the guesthouse,
you turn in the key to our house and knock."

"Mike,
that's not fair. It's like you're kicking me out or something."

Sheesh,
I should've known better than to mess with Big Mike and the last thing I wanted
to do was place an obstacle between us. But Christ, I could see him letting
himself in when we were in a compromising situation. That was the last thing I
was looking forward to, the very thing I was trying to escape.

"Hey,
those are your rules, not mine. Think you can live with them?"

"Okay,
you win," I said. "Erase that and forget I ever said it." Good Lord, I didn't
think he would ever get over haranguing me. He seemed to take pleasure in it as
evidenced by the smug look on his face. When I looked at Steve, he was grinning
from ear to ear.

We
decided to wait until August to move into the guesthouse, formally. I said
formally because we began moving things in shortly after our `meeting of the
minds' and they didn't object as long as we didn't sleep there. We chose to
re-arrange some of the furniture in a less than traditional fashion. We
preferred a more open floor plan than the conventional arrangement Mike and
Steve had in place. We moved two chairs from the den into the living room
placing them either side of the old coal burning fireplace. It seemed more
romantic and we planned to build fires there when the cold weather set in.

One
Saturday, Mark's mother and stepfather came with him when he brought some things
over. His mother wanted to see firsthand where her son was going to live. I was
there and watched her walk around inspecting the place. She was concerned and
wanted to make sure he was going to be comfortable. In my opinion, I thought
she wanted to verify Mike and Steve's presence because she asked a lot of
questions in that regard. I wouldn't say she was worried but she definitely wanted
to witness for herself Mark's living arrangements. Mark was embarrassed but I
thought it was nice that she was concerned enough to check it out for herself.
That's exactly what Mom would have done.

That
day, Mike was at his parent's house discussing some business with Theo while
Steve stayed home. He came out to see what was going on since there was an
unfamiliar car in the driveway. When he walked into the guesthouse he said,
"Hey Sport, who's here?"

I
was downstairs and Mark was upstairs with his parents. "Mark's mother and
stepfather are here. They're upstairs," I said. "Steve, I'm worried she might be
having second thoughts. I want to be with him and it seems like that's about to
change. They've been up there for a while. Can you do something?"

He
sent me to the kitchen then went upstairs. I started wiping the countertops,
which were already clean. That was the only thing I could think to do without
getting the vacuum out and making a lot of noise.

A
few minutes later, Steve came downstairs. "They're discussing Mark's expenses
and how to pay for them. Mark isn't sure what the scholarship from Bill's
company includes. Mark's biological father is the one asking the questions. Mary
doesn't have a problem with Mark living here; she wants to make sure all the bases
are covered."

"What
about Frank? What did he say?"

"He
complimented me on how nice the guesthouse was. That's all he said."

"Oh,
okay," I said. "That doesn't sound so bad."

Steve
nodded then said, "We're having an early dinner in a half hour when Mike gets
home. Is Mark staying?"

"I'll
ask if it's okay."

"Let
me know as soon as you can," Steve said then left pulling the door closed
behind him.

When
they came downstairs, I asked and Mark's mother said it would be okay for him
to stay for dinner. Before she left, she hugged her son and ran her fingers
through his hair while holding his head to her bosom. When she finished, she
cupped his face and stared at him for a moment then kissed and hugged him one
more time. She leaned back, patted his shoulder then took Frank's arm and they
left. It was a silent exchange that spoke volumes. There was no question Mary
Doucette loved her son, that was evident. I could only speculate about what she
was thinking. It was funny to see a big strong guy like Mark humbled by his
mother.

When
they closed the door, Mark turned to me and said, "I hate when she gets all
drippy."

"I
think it's nice. Come here you," I said as I approached him.

We
spent the next couple weeks moving most of our things into the guesthouse.
Steve gave us some kitchen appliances that he wanted to replace. He gave us the
coffee maker, the coffee grinder, the toaster, a waffle iron, and a food
processor that was still in the box. We accepted them enthusiastically and
thanked him. He gave us the bedding that I used in my room because they were
queen-size the same as the master bedroom in the guesthouse. We were happy to
have them. I asked Steve if he was going to replace the home theater system in
the library and he said maybe. Mark wiggled his eyebrows at me and we both smiled.

Though
we didn't sleep in the guesthouse, the sheets needed washing after Mark and I
had an afternoon soiree. It was the first time in our new place so it held a
special significance for us. It was special because it was like christening our
new home. Mark said we were breaking in our new pad, which was true enough but
I definitely preferred my version.

The
end of August was near and neither of us had much left to move, mostly
clothing. It was more or less an overnight bag for me and the transition was
complete. For Mark, it took two carloads of clothes, which I helped with and he
was done.

We
had to wait for cable and Internet service so we were bored the first few
nights. We went to the main house to watch television with Mike and Steve and
pass the time. Watching television with them and snuggling with Mark was the
most natural thing in the world. The funny part was it didn't feel weird at all.
I liked it a lot. At that point I knew I was home. They always told me and led
me to believe that and I did but somehow it never sank in until that evening.

I
was glad I relented on the knocking rule because I wanted to keep a key in case
I needed something. Actually, I knew I could have anything I wanted within
reason, what I didn't want was to be too distant from them and having a key
gave me that sense of nearness that I found so reassuring.

It was the last Saturday in August before
classes began. We had been through registration and had our schedules
confirmed. Registration coupled with the move and work, seemed like an ordeal
but our dream had finally taken shape, everything was in place. We were living together
and poised to enter Tulane in a few days. We both took the last day in August
off telling our bosses that we had to move. It was a white lie but it worked
and we enjoyed a day of leisure and each other's company. We did a lot of
kidding around and I couldn't help thinking how sexy he was every time I looked
at him. He busted me staring at him a couple times and smiled. All I wanted was
to be with him and I was. I couldn't think of anything that would have made me
happier.

That evening, we lay on thesofa in the den of the guesthouse
watching TV. Mark was on his side with his back against the sofa, his head
resting on a pillow. I reclined on my side in front of him as we watched the
tube, resting my head on his bicep and holding his hand, our fingers
intertwined. There wasn't another place in the world I'd rather have been. He started
slowly pressing his crotch into my backside. I picked up on his cue and began
pushing into him. We did that for some time when Mark started rubbing my
stomach and chest while kissing my neck.

"I
want you to make love to me," he said draping his leg over my thighs. He buried
his head in the small of my neck and said, "Mmmm,
I've never felt this way before. I don't ever want us to be apart," he said
then he kissed my neck again and squeezed.

I
rolled over to face him. I kissed his sweet lips then said, "I love everything
about you, Mark Doucette."

"I
love you, too. Let's go upstairs."

We
headed for the stairs as we groped and kissed one another. I felt his crotch as
we made our way up. He was hard and bulging, which made me that much harder
wanting nothing more than to experience all of him. He was so manly. How did it
come down to this? How could I have been so lucky? It didn't matter. I was with
Mark and was going to have him again. I savored everything about him and wanted
to do whatever it took to make him happy.

We
started taking our clothes off in the bedroom. I watched him pull his shirt
over his head. Man, he was glorious. I saw his armpit hair and the fine hair
below his naval as he cast his shirt aside. God, he was magnificent. His chest,
arms, waist and legs were everything I remembered. When he dropped his pants,
it was too much. I wanted to see his crotch so bad. He was the embodiment of
masculinity. His hair had grown out to where his bangs covered most of his
forehead. I couldn't help myself. That itch was begging to be scratched.

"Val,"
he said. "I want you to make love to me." Then he crossed the room and we
embraced each other.

I
put my arms around him and said, "You don't have to ask twice."

We
held on for a few moments, our breathing audible. I was in a place I never
wanted to leave. He was everything I ever dreamed of and hoped for. It didn't
matter how it happened, what mattered was keeping it alive and I was dead set
on that. I loved him and being with him was nearly an obsession.

"Come
here," he said. Then he pulled me on top of him as he reclined on the bed. We
were both naked. "I want you to make love to me."

I
kissed him pressing my tongue inside his mouth. He started kissing me
aggressively almost attacking my mouth. I started to smile at his passion as I
returned his affection with equal fervor. God, he was the best.

"Val,
I want you to screw me," he said. "I want to be one with you. I want to know
what it's like to have you inside me."

Man
that really caught me off guard. He wanted me to screw him! I had never done
that. The idea was more than intriguing and a little intimidating, too. What if
I botched it up along the way? The more I considered it, the more I liked the
idea. But still, I couldn't help feeling somewhat disconcerted.

I
was on all fours over him and rubbed my hard-on against his, kissed him, and
then asked him to roll over on his stomach. I could do what he asked looking
him in the face but I wanted something different. Yeah, he was strong and masculine
and I loved everything about his body but I wanted to play with his ass, to see
his round full cheeks and lick them until he was frenzied like he'd done to me.
My preference was for him to have his way with me but I got into the idea of
screwing this masculine hunk of a guy. I wanted to know what it was like. It
didn't seem so far-fetched. All I had to do was the same thing he did to me and
everything should work out.

I
rolled him over then pulled his waist to me until he was on his knees with his
chest resting on the bed. I spread his legs and began to massage his cheeks
with my hands and lick his hole with my tongue. He had a ring of soft fine hair
around his hole and I saturated it with saliva teasing him with my tongue. His
was the most beautiful ass I'd ever seen and there I was making love to it!

I
stopped occasionally to pull his hard dick down and lowered my head to take him
in my mouth. It was a challenge because it was so stiff but when I did, I
rubbed his hole with my finger making him moan with pleasure as I pulled his
foreskin down and worked his big knob with my tongue.

"Oh
God Val, that feels so good," he said then pushed his butt onto my finger
causing it to slip inside him. "Oh my God," he said then started twitching his
butt. "Put it in. I want to feel you inside me." Then he turned his head around
and looked at me. "Now," he pleaded softly.

He
handed me the lube and I coated my hard dick then his hole. I eased a finger
then eventually two inside him and he gasped with pleasure. He was ready and I
couldn't hold back any longer if I had to. I rose on my knees and placed the
head of my dick at his hole then eased it in. I went slowly at first giving him
ample time to adjust. I buried myself inside him and held it there for a few
moments. It was so stimulating I think my shaft was harder and longer than it
had ever been. At least it felt like that.

I
began to cycle in and out and he started rolling his head in pleasure. After a
few strokes, he widened his stance and arched his back, "Give it to me," he
said in a low voice, "hard!"

That
was all I needed to start pounding into him. God, it felt like nothing I had
ever experienced. I drove into him harder and faster.He
drew a deep breath and convulsed every time I bottomed out as he rolled his
head.

After
a couple minutes, I said, "I'm gonna cum."

"Don't
cum yet, slow down. I want this to last."

I
lowered myself on his back then he eased himself down on the bed drawing his
thighs up as far as he could. "Just lie like this for a minute," he said. "Keep
it in all the way. I love the way you feel inside me, Val. Push it in as far as
you can."

That
made my dick so hard I thought it might erupt then and there. That's how good
it felt. I held my shaft as rigid and deep inside him as I could and loved
every moment of it. He did too. After a minute passed, he said, "Screw me on my
back. I want to see your face while you're inside me."

I
withdrew then he rolled over on his back. I leaned in to kiss him and buried my
tongue in his mouth as I ran my hands over his body. His chest, arms and legs
were so muscular it made me want him all the more. He wrapped his legs around
my waist and we made out while we ground our crotches into one another. It was as
close as two people could be without occupying the same space. I felt as one
with him more than ever. It was something new, a dimension discovered.

"I'm
ready to go again," he whispered. "Give it to me, babe. I want all of you." He
drew his legs up as far as he could.

"Okay,"
I said then kissed his mouth. I worked my way down to his nipples and began
sucking and nibbling them alternately as I stroked his shaft. He was so
beautiful to me. I wanted it to be the best. My hard-on was rubbing up and down
his crack while his butt twitched with anticipation.

I
wanted to take him in my mouth and taste him but he wanted something else. This
was for Mark and I wanted it to be the best it could be. I was determined to
take him to Shangri-La if that were possible.

I
took each of his calves in my hands and positioned myself at his threshold. I
eased inside of him as we looked deep into each other's eyes. He put his hands
behind his head and spread his legs as far as he could. That was my cue to
start thrusting and thrust I did. I lit into him with everything I had and he looked
like the hottest guy on earth as he rolled his head and eyes in ecstasy. His
armpits and crotch formed a triangle of stimuli that drove me insane. I was
making love to the hottest guy I had ever known and loving every bit of it.

Eventually,
he wrapped his legs around me effectively stifling my movement. I looked at him
for a clue.

"Val,"
he said. "Sit on it," nodding at his shaft. "I want to cum inside you."

I
had to smile at the way he said it. He was so fervent it sounded more like a
prayer than a suggestion. Either way, I didn't care. I loved it when he took
the upper hand, when he screwed me. I wanted that big shaft of his to spout off
inside me. The thought of it was out of this world.

I
withdrew from him and let him close his legs. I reached for the lube on the
nightstand then prepared myself and him. I bent over to kiss him then said, "I
love you, Mark Doucette," looking into those blue eyes that told me everything
I needed to know.

"Come
here," he said pulling me down to his chest. "I love you so much, more than you
could ever know."

I
kissed him again savoring the sound of his words and the guy I was holding. There
wasn't another place on earth that I'd rather have been.

He
scooted himself up resting his hard-on against my butt. I rose and leaned
forward placing my hands either side of his head then began rubbing my crack up
and down against his rigid pole. It felt good and strong like him, `Manly,' I
thought. I shivered with anticipation at having him inside me.

I
reached behind me and guided him toward my hole. When it was in position, I
pushed my butt into him and let him slide in. I winced then hung my head at the
size if it and the lack of preparation. As badly as I wanted him, I went about
it a little too hastily. I sat motionless for a few moments trying to adjust.

"You
okay?"

"Yeah,
give me a minute. It's so big." I raised my head looking into his deep blue eyes
then began to impale myself on his big stiff dick. When it was all the way in, I
bent over and kissed him again. "I want you to screw me like you never have
before."

He
sat up and held me as he eased me onto my back, still buried deep inside me. I
was like a ragdoll in his arms loving the feel of his presence inside me. I
drew my legs up as far as I could then he bent over and started kissing me as
he began cycling in and out.

The
sensation was fantastic as I spread my legs perpendicular to my body. I wanted
to get screwed by my handsome hunk so badly, I offered myself to him wanting
all of him. He put his hands on my chest then started driving into me with a
force that drove me wild. The harder he pounded the more I loved it. I couldn't
get enough.

Eventually
he picked up the pace as he was about to cum so I grabbed myself and started
jerking off. A few moments later and he erupted inside me and that was all I
needed to jettison my load all over my stomach. We both shook with a force we
had never known. That's how powerful it was.

When
Mark finished spewing his load, he collapsed on top of me. We were both panting
and gasping for air trying to catch our breath. I placed a limp arm over his
back as we lay there recovering from the best sex we ever had.

A
short time later, Mark rolled off to the side, rested his head on the pillow
and said, "God, that was awesome," then we kissed and he ran his hand up and
down my stomach and chest spreading my cum over me.

I
turned my head sideways to look at him. We both started
laughing then moved closer and held one another. "It doesn't get any better
than that," I said.

He
drew his head back, looked me in the eye then said, "You ain't seen nothin' yet.
I'm gonna do things to you, you never dreamed of."

I
eased my head onto the pillow looking up. His comment worried me. What could he
possibly have in mind that would outdo that? Man, I didn't think a better place
existed yet he had something else in mind. That was definitely a cause for
concern.

"Val?"

"Yeah?"
I said turning to look at him.

"I'm
just kidding. Stop taking everything so seriously."

Then
he started giggling and scooted closer. He draped his arm and leg over me so I
wriggled my arm under his neck resting my hand on his back. He was so handsome and good looking I couldn't
resist kissing him. I drew back then took my other arm and wrapped it around
him. "I love you," I said then kissed him.